Hackensack seals 3-year pact with police director

HACKENSACK — The City Council has approved a three-year contract for its police director, Michael Mordaga, who took the helm of the police department 13 months ago.

Under the contract, Mordaga will make $150,000 a year, the same salary that he currently earns, said city spokesman Thom Ammirato.

A former city police inspector and county chief of detectives, Mordaga took over the department following a tumultuous time that saw division, legal battles and the criminal conviction of the former police chief. In the past year, he has led a crackdown on quality-of-life crimes and drug crimes. Last week, 150 suspected drug dealers were arrested in a massive citywide sweep that followed a seven-month investigation.

Mordaga told the City Council on Tuesday that arrests were up and crime was down across the board in the city in the past year. The successes, he said, were achieved by building relationships with other law enforcement, with clergy, with block watches and with the city homeless shelter.

“Compliments go to the men and women of the police department and the relationship they’ve developed with the community, and I thank them,” Mordaga said.

“Mike Mordaga has brought much needed stability to our police department and, more importantly, he is working well with the community to rebuild the trust between citizens and the police officers,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Kathy Canestrino said praised Mordaga for “bringing back pride to the department.”